Question of the monthThe QuestionWhat do scholars surmise about why God didn't call the second day "Good" after creating the expanse between the waters? - Mark
The AnswerThe term "good" in Genesis 1 has a specific meaning: that which is beneficial for man. As you note, on the second day there is no refrain as in the other days about being good. John Sailhamer writes (Genesis, EBC, vol. 2, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), 26), "The reason is that on that day there was nothing created or made that was, in fact, "good" or beneficial for man. The heavens were made and the waters divided, but the land, where man was to dwell, still remained hidden under the "deep." The land was still tohu; it was not yet a place where man could dwell. It was only when, on the third day, the sea was parted and the dry land appeared that the text could say, "God saw that it was good" (v. 10). When and only when the land was ready for man could God call it good." What this means is that God and only God is the one who determines what is good and beneficial for us. And we are called to trust Him with this assessment (cf. 2:15-17). Immediately after being mandated to trust God's judgment about our reason for being, He again addresses this issue of good, and in this case He identifies something that is "not good" (2:18), and on this basis He creates woman from man. In light of the fact that God is the one alone who determines good and evil, and He is the one whose ultimate purpose is to provide that which is good or beneficial for those who are created in His image (1:26-27), the folly of the rebellion becomes that much more heinous. The woman/man are in no position to determine what is good (contra 3:6), a position reserved for God alone. Moreover, God was set on their good, they were set on their own detriment, which is at the heart of the folly of sin. *These answers are not intended to serve as definitive EFCA policy statements. They are intended to help open discussion and dialogue about some of the challenging questions we all face in today's world. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Evangelical Free Church of America. Questions may be edited for clarity. |
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